


Don't Move On

by SmartassUndertheMountain



Series: Marvel OTPs [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-10
Packaged: 2019-03-16 03:36:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,435
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13627773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SmartassUndertheMountain/pseuds/SmartassUndertheMountain
Summary: Tony has been babying Rhodey since he fell at the airport battle, and Rhodey, who is sick of it, demands to know why.





	Don't Move On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Peanutskywalker](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Peanutskywalker/gifts).



> Requested by a dear dear friend of mine who gave a list of marvel ships to choose from with the prompt "Because I love you!"
> 
> You can also read it on tumblr: http://soimwritingstuff.tumblr.com/post/170721660287/dont-move-on

         Rhodey sat on the couch, eyeing the bars in front of him. He hadn’t slept well the night before and as a result – after Tony whined for nearly five minutes (four minutes and thirty-six seconds, he timed it) about being well-rested and the body needing sleep to recover properly (hypocrite) – had decided to forgo his normal morning exercises. He was starting to feel guilty for it.

         It must have shown on his face that he wasn’t content to just sit around anymore, because Tony started bugging him with questions. Again.

         “What do you need? Pillows fluffed? Food? Drink – the non-alcohol kind, you can’t take your pain meds if there’s alcohol in your system. Low risk of them mixing badly, but we’re not taking any risks.”

         “I’m fine, Tony. Thanks.”

         “You sure?”

         “Yeah, I’ve sat long enough. A few lost hours of sleep isn’t going to keep me down. I need to exercise.”

         “Then let me help you up.”

         “I got it.” Rhodey mumbled as Tony ignored him and helped him stand anyway. How was he supposed to improve if he couldn’t do anything _to_ improve?

         “Don’t want you getting re-injured.”

         “No chance of that happening.”

         Rhodey winced. It came out more harshly than he had meant. Tony let go of him and stepped back.

         “What does that mean?”

         “Nothing, okay, it’s nothing.”

         “Didn’t sound like nothing.”

         “It’s just… I know you’re concerned and all, and I really appreciate it, but I can’t get better if you don’t let me do things on my own.”

         “You think I’m smothering you?” He took a few more steps back, until nearly half the room was separating them.

         “No! Not smothering, just… babying.”

         “I’m not babying you! You fell from the sky like the meteor that took out the dinosaurs, you need to take it easy.”

         “There’s a difference between taking it easy and not being allowed to do anything on my own.”

         “I let you do plenty of things on your own. You don’t see me showering with you.”

         “And I’m surprised by that! You seem to want to do everything else for me.”

         “I just don’t want you getting set back!”

         “I get that, but I can’t get stronger if I don’t do anything!”

         “Fine, I won’t do anything for you anymore! How about that! You want to be so independent? Go right ahead. I won’t lift a finger for you. Wouldn’t want to ‘baby’ you.”

         Rhodey thought for a second. He knew yelling wasn’t helping anything. He was angry because his body hurt and he hated having to let other people do things that he shouldn’t even have to think about.

         “Why are you being like this? This isn’t like you.” His voice was still harsh, and that was mostly residual frustration, but he didn’t feel like screaming at his best friend anymore.

         “Like what? A helicopter mom?”

         “If that’s what you want to call this.” He waved his hand between them.

         “Because, I love you, okay!?”

         The air was tense and Tony knew, he just _knew_ , that he had messed up everything. Rhodey didn’t feel the same. How could he? He was the prefect man. Strong and brave, a model American. He put Captain America to shame.

         He had never doubted their friendship, but Rhodey would want something different in a partner, in a boyfriend. He would want someone who wasn’t a recovering alcoholic, a man who messed up everything he tried to fix, who ended up alienating half of his friends right after finally having more than just the one. Rhodey needed someone who he could sleep next to without being woken up by nightmares and panic attacks, or someone that he would actually wake up to, instead of realizing that his lover had spent the night in the lab, again. James Rhodes deserved someone better than him.

         Rhodey blinked, then blinked again as he tried to process what he’d heard. Had he even heard correctly? Tony loved him? Like, _love_ love? Like the not best friend kind of love?

         He’d never in a million years thought that his playboy best friend cared about him like that. His relationship with women was notorious, and though he knew that some of that was a façade for the media, he’d never had any reason to think that Tony could love him in a non-platonic way.

         Had he?

         They’d always been best friends. Best friends who stick together no matter what. Lots of platonic relationships were like that. Hell, he was military man, he knew lots of friendships that were Ride or Die.

         Tony was growing increasingly uncomfortable with the silence.

         “Okay, so that’s out there now, lets move on to the next thing. I’m changing a few things about the – “

         “Tony, stop. I don’t want to move on right now.”

         “I don’t see what else there is to say.”

         “I’ve got a few things. Like since when? Are you being serious?”

         “I don’t know and yes.”

         “You don’t know?”

         “It snuck up on me, okay? All I know is that when I saw you fall, nothing else mattered. Nothing about that stupid fight. I didn’t care about anyone else at that damn airport.”

         “So, recent?”

         “No. A long time before that, but…” Tony looked down at his shoe twisting the toes against the smooth floor to make it squeak. “But I didn’t want to think it because, because you deserve better than me.”

         Rhodey let words sink for a second before he started moving toward Tony. It was slow, but Tony stayed still, letting Rhodey decide how close he wanted to be. He could tell Tony wanted to move, to offer to help him, but that’s what had started all of this in the first place, so he was making himself wait.

         “You’re an idiot,” he said as he stood right in front of him, making sure Tony was looking into his eyes. “You’re kind, and smart, and brave, and funny, and yeah, you aren’t perfect, but who the hell is? Look at this,” he gestured to the room around them, “look at what you’ve done for me so I can walk again.”

         Tony’s heart no longer felt like something was squeezing it, but he still couldn’t let himself off the hook. Rhodey didn’t hate him. That was enough to make him breathe easier, but he wasn’t about to let himself off the hook.

         “This only happened because of me. I messed up your life.”

         “It was an accident. Vision aimed for Sam and Sam ducked. I got a blast that wasn’t meant for me. If that hadn’t happened then Sam might be dead. He doesn’t have the amount of armor that I do. I’d rather be like this than have attended his funeral. Besides, they’re the ones who chose to break the law. You don’t always have to be the bad guy, Tony. You’re usually the good guy.”

         “Usually?” Tony’s head tilted to the side, eyebrows scrunched together in confusion.

         “You steal the popcorn bowl on movie night.” Rhodey shrugged.

         Tony broke eye contact and let out a soft chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. How was it possible that the most amazing man in the world thought the worst thing about him was his popcorn habits?

         “I see. Can I make up for that?”

         “Depends.”

         “On?”

         “Where you take me to dinner. And if you open my door like a gentleman.”

         “Should I bring flowers, or is that too much?” Tony’s smile lit up his entire face, and his heart actually felt full and warm, and he knew he had to be blushing, but he didn’t care.

         “I’d rather have chocolate.”

         “Duly noted. I’ll pick you up at seven?”

         Rhodey grinned, a big wide one that showed his teeth and made his eyes sparkle. Tony thought his heart stopped when he saw it.

         “Perfect. I’ll see you then.”

         “I’m not allowed to hang out with you before?”

         “Nope. You can’t ask about my day if you were there. Now, shoo,” Rhodey waved him off, almost like one does a fly.

         “Alright. I can take a hint.”

         “It’s not a hint if I just said it.”

         “Dress nice. Wouldn’t want the paparazzi seeing my handsome date dressed like a slouch.” Tony said as he slipped out of the room, reveling in the faint laugh he caught before he was too far away.

         He felt light on his feet and giddy. There was a long list of things he had been neglecting so he could take care of Rhodey. He considered knocking some stuff off the list, but decided nah. He had a date to plan.

**Author's Note:**

> I've never written this ship before, and I haven't written much Rhodey at all (which is a shame because I love him dearly). I'd love to hear what you guys thought! 
> 
> Thank you for leaving kudos and comments! They mean the world to me!!


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